Survey to Fill in Gaps on Truck Driver Health and Safety

Survey to Fill in Gaps on Truck Driver Health and Safety

Article excerpt

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Because there are "significant gaps" in data needed to link crash-related deaths among truck drivers to job-related fatigue and other health concerns, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is asking for public input on a national survey to assess truck drivers' health and safety.

The survey will collect information on truck driver health, sleep disorders, fatigue, working conditions and non-fatal injuries and gain a better understanding of how these risk factors contribute to health and safety.

"This is an important step in gaining a better understanding of the complex factors that may affect truckers' risks for injury and illness," said NIOSH Director John Howard. "Having this sound scientific understanding is a key aspect of all NIOSH research as we work to address the occupational safety and health issues faced by this high-risk worker population."

NIOSH held a public meeting Nov. 1 in Chicago and seeks comments through Jan. 2, 2008 at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/review/ public/110/default. …